


The Adventures of Dick and Jane (and Henry)

by kbirb



Series: Jenny Birthday Fics [1]
Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Multi, Platonic Romance, Road Trips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 11:55:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7049611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kbirb/pseuds/kbirb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Henry finds a list to guide the roadtrip. Requested by Jenny for her birthday!</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Adventures of Dick and Jane (and Henry)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lynxzpanther](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lynxzpanther/gifts).



> I know this could shade your reading, but I wanted to say sorry for grammatical things! I plan to go back and edit this for grammar later and re-write certain sections. I wrote this pretty quickly for Jenny's birthday. Because I had a flight in the afternoon and needed to get it posted before her birthday ended, it's not well-edited or my best work. But I hope that doesn't deter you from reading it!

**✧ The Adventures of Dick, Jane, and Henry ✧**  
__**henrold:** i have a perfectly grand idea for our road trip  
**BLUE:** come to nino’s @ 6  
**captain dick:** and change my name in this chat! 

“8 Most Mystical Places in America?” Blue leaned across the map-filled table to read the list Henry pulled up on his phone. “Don’t we have enough of that already?”

“Well, _you_ might, but _I_ only joined the adventures before graduation,” Henry pointed out. “Sure, my mom might be up to her elbows in magic and I got kidnapped twice but… I digress.”

Gansey shrugged. “Almost all of them are on a ley line, so they could be magical. Worth a shot.”  
Blue bit her lip. She’d hoped to hike across America and see normal people tourist attractions but... Any adventure away from Henrietta sounded lovely and with the eco-friendly Pig Ronan had gifted them, she’d happily drive anywhere and everywhere.

Sliding in next to Gansey, Blue propped her feet up on Henry’s lap. “Let’s plan a ley line trip.”

**Stop 1: Ringing Rocks Park, Pennsylvania**

Blue offered her coffee to Henry, who was in the backseat pouring over Gansey’s ley line maps, a map of Pennsylvania, and the guidebook they had picked up when they’d crossed state lines. He accepted it with a wide grin, knocking the rest back before going back to the guidebook. Their first location was in Buck’s County and was a park supposedly full of rocks that you could hit and they would ring. Blue couldn’t wait to stretch her legs and hike and Henry was already hypothesizing that he could play “sick tunes” on the rocks if he devoted enough time. They’d left early in the morning and their ETA was 11. Blue loved long drives, even 5 hour ones, but she also wanted to be there already. Blue was patient and impatient at the same time. She was too far from the trees.  
Gansey pulled off the turnpike and held out his hand to Blue. She’d put herself in charge of the tolls. Dumping change into his open palm, she snuck a kiss on his cheek, brushing some of the wads of paper Henry had been methodically placing in his hair along the ride. He shot her a look from the backseat and she smiled. Blue love Gansey and Henry’s friendship and the year ahead was looking wonderful.

As they pulled on to the road for the park, Blue tied her boots back on. Her “adventure outfit” consisted of over-alls she’d hacked into shorts, one of Gansey’s polos that she’d ironed patches of ravens onto, and a bucket hat she’d found in the attic of the Gansey household. It had a little pocket on the side, which she’d stuck little goldfish crackers in to snack on. She could hear Henry folding up the maps and stuffing everything into his backpack.

“Did you know the rocks aren’t hollow?” Henry asked as they climbed out of the car and stretched. “Apparently one cracked open and it was completely solid.”

“Henry boy, you’re a walking guidebook.” Gansey had a huge smile on his face. Before leaving Henrietta, Blue had insisted he swap out his boat shoes for practical and sensible hiking boots. He’d teased her for trying to change him, she insisted she loved him the way he was but his fashion sense would have to change.

Blue linked arms with Henry and Gansey as they walked towards a clear path in the trees. They walked slowly, as if without purpose, Blue breathing in the scent of the trees. It was late summer, as they’d wanted to start their trip around when Adam would be starting college. Some leaves were beginning to change at the tops of the trees. It was amazing how you could drive 5 hours and the smells of the forests could be so different. Blue disconnected her arms from the boys to meander off the path and touch the trees. She could feel a faint power pulsing from the ground; the ley line here wasn’t particularly strong. It was nice to not feel an overwhelming magical pull and also a little lonely. She wondered if this line would be strong enough for Noah, before remembering he’d passed on when Gansey died. A sad smile crossed her face. She missed her friend but knowing he was at peace was enough for her to shake that selfish thought.

As Blue climbed up a particularly beautiful tree, she heard a camera shutter click behind her. For graduation, Maura had bought her a fancy camera so she could capture her travels and build memories to show when she came home. Gansey must have grabbed it from the car.

Henry stood at the foot of the tree, hands on his hips. “Blue, I know you’re part tree, but we have magical rocks to see.” She shimmied down from her branch and kissed his cheek lightly before skipping along the path. He laughed behind her; Blue loved Henry’s laugh. It was light and beautiful, as if nothing could bring him back down from the joy he was feeling. People often say smiles can light up a room. If nothing else, Henry’s could bring anyone’s mood back up.

As they walked, deer poked their heads out from the trees and squirrels scampered across their paths. Birds swooped low singing melodies and a few perched on branches to investigate the bright clips in Blue’s hair. The ley line’s magic may be faint, but when Blue and a ley line first met, strange things often happened.

They finally came across the field of boulders that was the goal. A few families were already climbing across them, kids laughing as they picked up smaller rocks to bang against the large ones to create chaotic sound. Henry hoisted his backpack up and pulled out three small hammers they’d picked up at a hardware store back in Henrietta. Blue accepted hers, sticking it in the pocket of her overalls. She settled on a large boulder with Gansey, snuggling into his side. They watched as Henry climbed around, testing the different rings of certain rocks. He motioned at the two of them and they handed over their hammers as well. They’d selected ones that were made with slightly different metals to see what that would do to the rocks. Henry decided which two he liked best, tossing the third back up to them. It hit the rock with a very pleasing ring. As Henry messed around, Blue and Gansey talked about where they might sleep tonight and their second destination. Finally, Henry cleared his throat to get their attention.

“I present to you…. Henry’s Symphony no. 1.” He banged out something that sounded distinctly like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star mixed with a Madonna song that Blue couldn’t quite place. They politely applauded when he finished. “No good?” Henry asked. Blue shook her head and he shrugged. “I tried.”

They hiked around on the rocks a bit longer, attempting to create a less catastrophic band and symphonic songs. As they ventured through the woods, they discovered a waterfall. Henry’s guidebook stated it was the largest in the county, which Blue thought was sweet.

As they sun set, they left the park, finding a diner to eat in. Henry insisted on paying. Gansey elbowed Blue in the ribs when she tried to protest. “You’ll get your turn,” he whispered. So, instead of objecting, she smiled politely and thanked her friend.

Destination two would be a 12 hour drive from where they were. They stopped outside of the Pittsburgh area, finding a KOA that would let them pitch a tent for just the night.

Ever since dying (again), Gansey’s mental state was worsening. He often woke up with nightmares and needed to learn coping mechanisms to calm down. Blue had learned most of them so that she could help. He could only fall asleep when he was sharing a bed with someone, because his brain was in panic mode if he was alone. This road trip would be good for that, because they’d have to share beds and tents more often than not. Tonight, he was able to fall asleep, but Blue woke up to a hand gripping her arm. Swallowing a pained cry, Blue lightly began whispering Gansey’s name. Shaking him awake only triggered a flight response from him and there was no hope in prying his fingers off when he was still asleep. He woke up with a start and released her arm. There would definitely be a bruise the next day, but Blue didn’t care. Gansey started shaking, tears in his eyes. Blue curled into his side, whispering safe statements in his ear.

**Stop 2: Benton Harbor, Michigan. Lake Michigan.**

According to the list Henry found, there was a mysterious Lake Monster in Lake Michigan. Like Nessie, but far less famous. Gansey tried to say Nessie didn’t exist, but Blue covered his mouth in indignation. “Let me _believe_ ” she hissed. So he didn’t continue his thought about the Lake Michigan Monster.

After waking up and eating leftovers from the diner, Blue and the boys hit the road again, stopping once for coffee and more goldfish for Blue’s adventure hat. Henry was in the front this time and that meant they were subjected to his music for most of the ride. Blue secretly didn’t mind, but she put up a fight out of habit. As they pulled into an Ohio rest stop to stretch, Gansey’s phone rang.  
“Adam’s face timing from his dorm!” He whooped, turning the phone so Blue could see. Adam was sitting on his bed, a big smile on his face. Blue could see pictures on the wall behind him. A selfie of the whole gang they’d taken before the road trip, a picture of Opal after Blue tried to cut her hair, multiple photos of Ronan, and a few more pictures of the group hanging out. It looked very homey and she was glad to see he was settled.

She grabbed the phone from Gansey so they could talk while he and Henry went to pee and get more coffee. Adam listened patiently while she rambled about the rocks, the animals, how bad Henry’s snoring is, and how much Gansey’s morning breath reeked. He then told her about moving in and how he’d yet to meet his roommate. They discussed how he might bring up he was gay and, more importantly, explain Ronan to people. For that, she handed the phone to Gansey, as no one explained Ronan better than him.

After they hung up, Blue peed and they piled back into the car. “No more stops until Michigan,” Gansey announced. The eco friendly Pig not needing gas was one of the best things about this trip.

Henry was driving now, so Gansey put on classical music. At one point, he climbed into the backseat with Blue. They woke up to Henry announcing that they’d arrived at a beach called “Silver Beach” in a town called St. Joseph’s. It was a bit of a tourist-y town and they grabbed information booklets before wandering around. Lunch was at a pizza place and then it was off to the beach.

Blue pulled on her bathing suit, exchanging her bucket hat for a floppy sun hat she’d stolen from Maura’s closet before leaving Henrietta. Gansey insisted they all put on sunscreen and then they were off. Day one in this town would be just hanging out and day two would be to see if there was any sort of magic around at all. Blue could feel the ley line here, it was much stronger and called out to her. But she shrugged it off, instead playing in the water and focusing on being normal.

They’d found a hotel in the neighboring town to stay in and after showers, they hunkered down for the night. The attendant had raised an eyebrow at the three of them when they piled into the lobby. Gansey put on his politician smile and Henry shook the man’s hand amiably. “Three people. One bed…. You know there’s not a pull out, right?”

Blue gave a short laugh. “We’re perfectly fine, sir.” He shrugged and gave them their key.

The three of them stayed up well into the night, a tangle of limbs on a king-sized bed. Gansey slept better this way.

“How come no one told me hotels were so nice?” Blue joked.

“This isn’t even that grand,” Henry told her, launching into a story about staying at the Ritz. Blue had adjusted to this kind of talk a while ago, but sometimes it was hard to hear. Gansey traced circles on her back as Henry talked.

She woke up to sun streaming through the windows, still tangled up in her boys on the bed. Slowly, she wormed her way out, and went on to the balcony to call her mom. They talked for a bit, catching up on the business at home and how Blue’s trip was going. Ronan and Opal were apparently going to stop in (much to Calla’s chagrin) for dinner that night. Knowing her family and friend were taking care of each other eased something in Blue’s mind. She worried when she wasn’t home.

As she hung up, Gansey stuck his head out on to the balcony. “Breakfast?” He asked with a smile.

“Coffee,” Blue sighed.

After another diner meal, they were off to a boat rental place on the lake. Henry theorized if they could find a strong point in the line, the lake monster may be there.

They went out on the water with parkas and a cooler. Even in the heat of August, the lake could get brisk. As they sat, Blue described the sensation of the ley line pulsing beneath the lake. Henry sent out Robobee to explore for signs of life, although it seemed like the lake may be a bit polluted.

All-in-all, it wasn’t very mystical. A few birds felt brave enough to land on the boat and Blue fed them pieces of her tuna sandwich. She and Gansey split a yoghurt (Henry laughing at their tradition) and they simply did what they did best: comradery. The three of them simply loved being together. Blue loved holding the boys’ hands and they loved the sensation of being with one another. They traded theories about the monster: land-locked dinosaur, Nessie’s cousin, man-made submarine. Took pictures of the lake, of Blue feeding birds, and of Gansey slowly burning (they left the sunscreen at home).

Blue texted Adam when they gave up.  
__**blue scadoo:** no mich lake monster :(  
**adam too:** bummer :\ did you put on sunscreen?  
**blue scadoo sent a photo!**  
**blue scadoo:** oops  
**adam too:** gotta send that to ronan  
**blue scadoo:** oh, does he text you back?  
**adam too:** he’d be in trouble if he didn’t

Blue laughed and showed the texts to Gansey. He whipped out his own phone to threaten Adam about sending the photo to Adam. As they approached the dock, Henry cut the motor and they floated up. The shop owner, Mr. Case, tied them up and kindly helped them climb out of the boat. His wife had invited them in for a good midwestern meal.

“It’s August, so the Coloma peaches are in, and she makes a wonderful cobbler.” He gave a big smile as they entered the house.

After a delicious meal, they settled into the living room to digest before desert. Blue asked Mrs. Case what she did for a living.

The women had a twinkle in her eye as she looked at Blue and pulled something out of her pocket. “I’m a psychic.”

They started talking about magic and ley lines, which is why the cases had chosen to live right off the lake in this area. Mr. Case showed them pictures of the Lake Michigan Monster. “She’s shy,” he promised. “Doesn’t really take to strangers.”

After Mrs. Case had an opportunity to test how strong Blue could make her, they settled in for peach cobbler. Gansey talked about his mother’s path to politics, Henry talked about his plans after his gap year, and Blue talked about Henrietta.

**Stop 3: Sattva Sanctuary, Trout Lake, Washington**

Since the third location on the list was all the way across the country, Blue and the boys made a lot of average American stops along the way. They’d watched the Food Channel and made a list of places to eat. They’d watched the travel channel and marked off roadside attractions to visit. They took their time traveling, stopping every night to sleep. Sometimes in hotels, sometimes at campgrounds, and sometimes they’d just pitch a tent in a field and snooze. As summer turned into fall, they meandered their way to Washington DC. Blue had pictures of playing hide-n-seek in the Mall of America (they quit pretty quickly) and at at least one zoo or aquarium in every state they crossed. In Minnesota, Gansey took a picture of Blue meeting her first ever wild moose. In Montana they made jokes about Disney and joined a PRIDE parade (Gansey and Henry kissed in front of cameras and they promptly received a call from Helen). Every day a new adventure to send Snapchats of to Adam and Ronan (sometimes Ronan even replied).

Finally, they were done traveling the 2,203 miles between Michigan and Sattva Sanctuary in Washington. With all of the stops they made, sometimes staying two or three nights in a town, it was the end of September. The leaves were changing and the fall air was crisp and beautiful. The destination had to be the weirdest place on the list.

“Sattva Sanctuary,” Gansey read off a piece of paper Henry had printed out at the last hotel. “At the base of Mount Adams lies an incredible hotbed of UFO activity: a wooded ranch-cum-spiritual retreat owned by James Gilliland. The founder of Enlightened Contact with ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence and the Self-Mastery Earth Institute has been hosting seekers at ‘the ranch’ since 1986. Thanks to so many unexplained light shows, almost no one leaves disappointed.” He crinkled up his nose at “UFO activity.”

“Remind me again why we’re here?” Blue joked.

“The list says so,” stated Henry.

“Ah, the list.”

“It _is_ on a ley line…” Henry said. “So it could be pretty real.”

Blue nodded. “I can feel the power. Plus, Gansey, if we believe in magic, what’s a little UFO activity?”

Gansey sighed in resignation. “Lead the way, Henry.”

“No, after you, Dick Gansey. After you.”

They checked in to the resort using Gansey’s card and carried their bags to their room. On each bed (there was three this time around) lay a schedule. UFO watching was right on that schedule, much to Blue’s chagrin. Unfortunately, there was no phone service, so she couldn’t Skype Adam in as she’d hoped.

After a scheduled dinner, which was a vegan meal as the “ranch” was all about being “healthy and wholesome,” they changed into warm clothes for UFO watching. Henry had bought a video camera a few states back and Blue still had her camera from her mom.

They joined up with the rest of the group staying for the weekend and hiked up Crystal Mountain. Henry was bouncing up and down. “It’s just like an episode of X-Files!” He sounded like a little kid on Christmas, and Blue was happy for him.

Before the sun was completely set, the owner of the resort/ranch spoke up. "’Skeptics and Naysayers dismiss what they have not risen to the level to see. Armchair investigators cast opinions from afar, condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance.’ Albert Einstein.” Uproarious applause from the UFO believers ensued. Gansey rolled his eyes, earning him a sharp elbow in the ribs from both Blue and Gansey.

“I’ll have you know, Dick,” said Henry. “That you yourself are a believer in things that others would say impossible. What if we asked these fanatics about magic, what might they say?”

A nearby man shushed them as the last ray of sunlight disappeared behind the tree lines. Cameras began clicking on one-by-one as people settled in to see the lights in the sky. Blue wedged herself between her boys as Henry turned on his video camera. She laced her fingers with his free hand and kept her other hand free for photos. Gansey lay his head on her stomach.

The weekend was… weird to say the least. Blue couldn’t say whether the lights were aliens or magic. The ley line here pulsed with magic, but as the lights appeared it seemed to drain a little. Perhaps aliens were just magic, but Blue didn’t care. She saw Gansey scribble “Roswell, NM” on to their list and she smiled. Maybe he was less skeptical now. As for the rest of the weekend, well, the owner of the place sure knew how to milk the ley line. People received spiritual readings, communed with ghosts, and experienced other “phenomena” that was undoubtedly caused by ley line magic. The owner remarked that some of the events were the most powerful he’d experienced yet, and Blue exchanged a secret look with her boys.

“Probably the last time he’ll ever experience magic this strong,” Gansey said as they left the ranch on Monday morning.

**Stop 4: Mel’s Hole, Manastash Ridge, Washington**

Their next stop wasn’t too far, only about three hours away, 160 miles south by the border of Washington and Oregon. As they drove down, Blue shot a group message to Ronan and Adam, turning away so Gansey could peek over her shoulder from the back seat.

**raven disasters**  
__**blue cheese:** first, ronan, i don’t appreciate my nickname in this lovely chat i created to keep you all in the loop. second, guys, gansey totally believes in aliens now.  
**grouch™ :** first, blue, i don’t like my nickname but i didn’t change it and also wow did i just die??? new mocking material thnx  
**aDAMN:** which one of you even set my nickname?  
**blue cheese:** ronan’s guilty of that  
**aDAMN:** also please take photos of him at the next ufo sighting i’ll give you ice cream  
**blue cheese:** for you, it’s free ;) 

“Who are you texting?” Gansey asked. He hated when Blue called shotgun and Henry was driving. Eco-friendly Pig wasn’t the original, but she looked and sounded enough like his car for him to still be protective.

“Oh, just Mom.” Blue said as nonchalantly as possible. “Orla taught her how to text. Spelling’s horrendous but…” She flipped over to her texts with her mom to show him and he laughed.

“Alright kids,” Henry said in his best parenting voice. “We’re in Ellensburg!” He made a joke about lesbians that went over Blue’s head and made Gansey laugh uncomfortably.

They’d decided to stay the night in the nearby town and get up early to hike the ridge where the hole supposedly was. Blue had read up on this one; it was believed to be a bottomless hole and she wasn’t fond of those. From what she’d learned, in 97 some guy named Mel appeared on some alien talk show spouting conspiracies theories about the government hiding some secret on his land in the form of a hole. Mel had wild stories about the hole, including one where he claimed a neighbor dumped their dead dog in it and it came right back to life. He also claimed to have ran about 80,000 feet of fishing line down and never touched the bottom. The myths only grew from there. Old music playing, metals changing shape and substance, and black magic shooting from the hole.

But since the government seized it, no one really knew where the hole was anymore. All Blue, Gansey, and Henry knew was it would be about 9 or 10 miles from Ellensburg. They also knew a ley line ran through here, so while to some people it might be a myth, it could be something more.

“What do you think, Blue?” Gansey asked. He was sitting at her feet in a park by their hotel. “Do you think magic could help us find it?”

She thought about it. “We’d need someone like Adam, honestly. But maybe my magnifying abilities can help.”

The next morning, they set out on a hike to find the hole. For three hours they wandered aimlessly, finding plenty of holes. At each one, Henry would drop a rock down and they’d listen for when it hit. At each one, it wouldn’t take too long, and Blue would admit it didn’t feel magical enough. Finally, they stopped to eat and rest a bit. Blue settled her head into Henry’s lap and napped for half an hour before he suddenly jumped up.

“ROBOBEE!” He shouted. “I’ll send out Robobee.” At first, all Blue heard was bee and she panicked before her brain caught up to what he had said.

She swatted him. “Gentler alarm next time, please.” He ruffled her hair as an apology before sending Robobee out to search. They finished their picnic and as they popped up, the little bee zoomed back up to Henry. He pocketed it and led the way.

Finally, they came across a giant hole in the ground. Blue shivered and Gansey looked at her. “I don’t know how safe this is, guys.” From the hole seeped a cold magic. It felt a bit like the demon Piper had brought into Henrietta before. Blue was afraid her magic would strengthen it and she took a few steps back. “I think we should…” Suddenly, a black light shot out and the boys jumped back as well.

They ran for at least three miles without slowing down, adrenaline rushing.

“New rule,” Gansey panted. “When the internet claims necromancy, we do _not_ investigate.”

**Stop 5: Oregon Vortex, Gold Hill, Oregon**

After staying another night in Ellensburg, they set off for an 8 hour drive down into Oregon. The further the distance they put between them and the hole, the better Blue felt. The ley line in that spot had felt so weak, it was probably being drained and drained by that demon and then Blue arrived to give it strength. Leaving her drained. She opted for the backseat and slept most of the drive, waking up only for snacks and pee breaks. Outside of town, they found a campground and opted for hot dogs on the campfire for dinner. Henry told ghost stories to make Blue laugh and then they fell asleep in a pile in the tent, using one another for warmth. Gansey’s nightmares had been getting better over the course of the trip. Henry learned some of the tricks when Blue didn’t wake up, so they were always prepared. Getting away from Henrietta and letting Gansey just…. _be_ was beneficial to his health. 

The ley line here was insanely strong and Blue was excited to see where they were going today. According to the website, the Oregon Vortex was a place where “the improbable is the commonplace and everyday physical facts are reversed.” She’d read up on the science of the vortex on the website, but she knew there was bound to be strong magic here.

“So, apparently,” Blue said as they parked at the entrance to the vortex. “Vortices can cause us to pull magnetic north and when we take photos, we will look like we shrunk or grew depending on where we stand.”

“And what do you think is really happening?” Gansey asked, taking her hand.

“Magic, of course.”

They’d packed a picnic and planned on hiking around before heading to the House of Mystery and other parts of the vortex. Everytime Blue had the chance to climb trees, the boys knew better than to stop her.

Finally, the settled in front of the House to eat their picnic. Blue had bought seed and carrots to feed any animals who may appear her. For the first time in a while, no animals seemed to be around. The magic here was warped, which made sense since it was a spherical vortex. This aligned with old Native American legends that Blue had found about the area. They called it “Forbidden Ground,” because horses refused to enter the area. They were wary of it themselves and shunned it.

“So, what’s up with the crooked house again?” Henry asked around his sandwich.

“Well, supposedly it slid off of it’s foundation. It used to be an office for miners. It probably slid due to the magnetic pulls.” Blue put air quotes around “magnetic pulls,” because in this case...science was probably wrong. It was definite ley line effects. “In the backyard we can take the first cool height difference photographs!”

The ley line magic here was curious and cool. It really did appear as if the three of them were shrinking and growing simply based on where they stood in the photos.

After leaving the vortex, the three explored a nearby creek and then drove back to the campground. There was a pool and a movie was being shown there that night, so they decided to stick around to watch.

**Stop 6: Mount Shasta, Redding, California**

“60 miles south of the Oregon border,” Gansey read out from his phone, “is a cosmic power spot that attracts everyone from Native American locals to Buddhist monks and hippies. Its sacred slopes are home to a potpourri of mysteries: spontaneous altered states; UFO sightings; crystal caves; encounters with Ascended Masters; underground military bases; even the rumored home to Lemurians, surviving members of a sensitive super-race some believe existed 12,000 years ago during the time of Atlantis.” He smiled at the last bit. 

“And, it’s _definitely_ on a ley line,” Henry added, looking up from the ley line map.

The next mystical place in America was also the second highest volcano in America. The three of them had researched it heavily and decided to go mountaineering. Henry suggested a helicopter multiple times, but Blue shot him down. Now, as the approached the snow-covered mountain, Gansey even suggested it.

“No, we’re doing this.” Blue insisted. She’d never hiked up a mountain, much less a dormant volcano. She was just hoping the ley line didn’t get suspicious of her and make the volcano blow…

They would be approaching from the Everitt Memorial Highway and taking the Avalanche Gulch route, which was supposed the easiest way up the mountain. Before, they had stopped in town and bought warmer climbing clothes as well as the equipment they would need to climb the mountain. They had campons upon campons, as well as an extra cooking stove. They’d agreed to hike up to 10,900 elevation, where there was a lake to camp at.

The hike was brutal. There was a reason the website advised against hiking so late in the year. Storms raged on and Blue was worried they might not make it. At 7900’ elevation, there was a place called Horse Camp. They decided to stop there for the day, hoping the storms may calm down.

“You know,” Henry said. “We should have come here in the spring.” He was flipping through an information booklet he grabbed in town. 

“And why is that?” Gansey asked.

“Well when the moon is in Taurus…” Blue stopped listening at that, but Gansey looked enraptured at what Henry was saying. She was looking through photos on her camera from both Oregon and their hike today. As Gansey and Henry lay in bed together in the matching pajamas Blue bought them, she snapped photos of them. The joy on their faces in these candids made her feel warm inside. Nothing could bring her down anymore, not when she had her boyfriends with her.

Boyfriends. That was a weird thought. But it was true. She and Gansey were a couple, had been for a while now. And now they were with Henry, too. Blue couldn’t believe herself. Rule one? Never befriend an Aglionby boy. Definitely don’t date one. What had she done? Befriended an entire group of them and started dating two of them.

The next morning, they battled the storm up to Lake Helen. The day after, they finally reached the top. The raging snowstorm took away from the spiritual retreat aspect of the trip. Blue had to agree with Henry, climbing this in warmer weather may have been a better idea. The ley line was strong and she could only imagine how beautiful the view would be if there wasn’t so much snow in the way.

They took the next three days to descend, as well. When they reached the bottom, they drove into town to replenish snack supplies and sleep in a warm bed. There was a nearby lake, Heart Lake, that Blue hoped to visit. After a long sleep to rest tired muscles, they went to the lake. Blue felt at home here and they spent the better part of the day cold but happy in a canoe on the lake. People in town had suggested caving, but all three of them panicked and gave a stern “no” to that idea.

Gansey seemed disappointed at the lack of UFO activity and Henry was upset to not have had a major spiritual breakthrough. Blue just felt accomplished for having hiked a mountain. She teased them for needing so much to satisfy them.

After this, they drove the 9 hours to their next Californian location, taking turns at the wheel and sleeping, and slept for the night at the hotel nearby. It was warm again, so they happily shed their warm clothes for shorts and tees again.

**Stop 7: Racetrack Playa, Death Valley National Park, CA**

“Nice fanny pack,” Henry joked at Blue.

Blue felt very inspired by moms in the 90s with her outfit. High-waisted loose hiking shorts, a tee shirt she’d cut to be a bit shorter, and a fanny pack. In it, she’d fit a water bottle and snacks. 

“Where you’re stuck with a backpack for water and snacks, I just have this little thing. Much less cumbersome,” she pointed out. Henry conceded.

Blue was excited for their next location. This was the first time she’d ever been to a desert, having grown up in Henrietta. “Guys, do you realize we’re on the West Coast. I’m on the West Coast!” She jumped up and down smiling at them.

Not only was this Blue’s first desert, but the place they were going had mysterious moving rocks. No one ever saw them move, just saw the tracks in the clay. Blue was determined to figure out the magic behind them. 

They hiked well into the day, following the most recent path taken by the rocks. Luckily, the ground was dry, so you were allowed to walk on the playa. The only rules were: no walking on wet ground, no driving on the playa whatsoever, and no removing the rocks. Blue liked simple rules.

When they finally located a rock, Henry poked at it. “So, what do we think? Magic?”

Blue nodded excitedly. As she approached a rock, it began to shake. “Mirror mirror,” she sighed. The rock shot forward two feet. As she backed up, it shot back into place. The boys watched in fascination as Blue danced around the rocks, making them move back and forth.

“Magic!” Gansey shouted.

“Mirror!” She yelled back.

**Stop 8: Roswell, New Mexico**

For the next few weeks, Blue insisted they stay away from ley lines and do normal things. They went to Disneyland, explored the Grand Canyon, visited the desert museum, hiked Mesa Verde and nearby canyons, visited more aquariums, and visited a telescope in Flagstaff. Then, it was on to a location hand-picked by Gansey.

“Uh, I don’t think there was a place in New Mexico on our list…” Henry hesitantly pointed out.

All Gansey said in response was “aliens.” 

After their first UFO experience, Gansey wouldn’t let go of the alien concept. Henry showed him episodes of X-Files when they had WiFi.

“Don’t become Mulder,” he’d warned Gansey. Gansey was already the Mulder of Glendower and ley lines, if they were being honest. And now, he really seemed to like aliens. Roswell was going to be...interesting. Blue sent Snapchat videos of him gushing about aliens to Adam and Ronan. They were appalled. 

**_adam too:_** blue how could you and cheng let him get obsessed with aliens?????  
**blue scadoo:** don’t blame me for this!!!

Henry pulled up a list on his phone. “Alright, well I found a list of 10 things to do while we’re here. We are _not_ just investigating aliens, I swear.”

“Oooh, art!” Blue gushed, reading over his shoulder. “I vote day one has nothing to do with aliens and everything to do with art museums.” 

Gansey pouted at her and she stuck out her tongue. “Day two aliens?” he asked.

The other two agreed.

First, they visited the Roswell Museum & Art Center. Then, the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art. Henry pointed out things that reminded him of Blue’s personality there and she felt full of joy again. Afterwards, they shopped at the mall and all bought UFO shirts at the gift shop.

That night, they saw a movie instead of going UFO searching, because Gansey had promised.

Day two was a trip to the zoo… and then out to the desert for a disappointing night of no UFOs. Blue bought Gansey ice cream for breakfast on day three to make up for it. Day three was all about the aliens. They went to the UFO museums and everything out there.

They left Roswell seeing no UFOs…. Until they were a few miles out and mysterious lights appeared in the sky. Gansey slammed on the breaks, causing Blue to slam into the dashboard and wake up in a panic. He apologized profusely as he climbed out of the car. Blue and Henry grabbed their cameras. They stood open mouthed, snapping pictures as the lights danced in the sky. 

“Who was to say it was actually UFOs?” Blue joked when they disappeared. Gansey gave her a look and she kissed him. “Just kidding.”

Ronan got a kick out of Gansey’s babbling when they facetimed him. “Be careful,” he said darkly. “The government could be tracking you right now.”

**Stop 9: Coral Castle, Homestead, FL**

Their last stop would be in Florida. By then, it was Adam’s spring break and they’d all decided to meet up Disney World when they could. Ronan had shaped Opal into a convincing human child at this point, and they were confident she could handle the insanity of spring break crowds. 

Before they could meet up, there was last place for the roadtrip crew to stop at. Coral Castle outside of Miami. How this castle was built was the biggest mystery. A single man built the castle in 30 years. It was made of 1,100 tons of limestone...but there was no mortar, no precision seams, and things balanced in ways they shouldn’t be able to. The man who built it claimed to know the secrets of the Pyramids and that he had seen stones levitating. Most doubted it, but it was mysterious enough to attract crowds. Blue and her boys knew better. It was definitely a place of magic. In fact, it was one of the points where ley lines crossed, making it one of the most magical places on the planet.

All three of them took stones and tested if they could really levitate. Of course they did and gleefully, Blue collected the three stones in her fanny pack. Gansey gave her a look of “do not deface this,” but she just shrugged.

Throughout the castle, she could see glimpses of the ghosts that died on the ley line. Especially the ghost of the Latvian man who had built the castle. He kept popping up in Blue’s face and making her laugh. Gansey seemed hesitant about the ghosts, understandably. But Blue and Henry loved them and ran around trying to find out about each of them. A young women who died in a car accident. A few murder victims. Many old ladies and men. Also animals. Blue had never interacted with animal ghosts, so this was new and honestly exciting. Henry just hadn’t had many ghost experiences.

When they were done, Gansey hugged Blue close and sadly. “I miss Noah,” he admitted. “And...well...that could have been me.”

\----------------------

After Disney, they would go back to Henrietta and spend time with everyone there. Blue wanted to babysit Opal, Gansey missed Blue’s family, and Henry said he needed a nap. For summer, they were planning another trip to visit places they sadly hadn’t gotten to go to. Adam had asked to join them, much to Blue’s delight. Maybe Ronan and Opal could be coerced to join. After all, they had agreed to Disney of all places.

**Author's Note:**

> Another apology: I don't touch TRC characters. They are too sacred to me to write fan fiction, so this is my first time using these characters as my own. If I mischaracterized, I am sorry. And again, sorry for posting essentially a rough draft of a fic. I just wanted Jenny to have it before the day was up. Love, Katey!


End file.
